Dáil debates

Tuesday, 29 March 2022

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions

Closed-Circuit Television Systems

7:00 pm

Photo of Martin KennyMartin Kenny (Sligo-Leitrim, Sinn Fein)
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69. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if she will report on community CCTV programmes. [16638/22]

Photo of Martin KennyMartin Kenny (Sligo-Leitrim, Sinn Fein)
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I want to ask the Minister about the roll-out of community CCTV programmes across the country. In many rural areas it has been an issue. In County Sligo, an elderly man was recently attacked in his home. Many people said there is a need to have preventative measures around the country, one of which is, of course, CCTV, not just in rural areas but also in many urban areas where drug dealing and other such activities are taking place in broad daylight. It is a measure that would assist gardaí in preventing such crimes from occurring. I would like the views of the Minister on how that is progressing.

Photo of Helen McEnteeHelen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. As he will be aware, community CCTV schemes play an important role in local communities the length and breadth of the country. They provide valuable reassurance and help people to feel safer in local areas. It is not just about making sure we can use them to detect crime and support gardaí; they play a role in helping to keep and make people feel safe. This is why it remains a priority for my Department to ensure community groups continue to be supported in developing their local CCTV schemes, while balancing this with proportionate oversight of important data protection statutory considerations. That is an important element.

Since 2017, my Department has administered a grant aid scheme, supporting groups wishing to establish a community-based CCTV system in their area. Eligible groups, including community groups and local authorities nationwide, can apply for grant aid of up to 60% of the total capital cost of a proposed CCTV system, up to a maximum total of €40,000. The CCTV grant scheme was extended in 2019 to cover not only new CCTV systems but to also provide funding for the extension or upgrade of existing CCTV systems that are incomplete or have become obsolete. Applicants may now also seek a once-off grant of up to €5,000 for minor maintenance costs. Support and assistance for those running CCTV schemes is available by contacting my Department at a dedicated email address available from my its website.

To date, a total of 35 locations have been approved under the community-based CCTV scheme, with a total of almost €950,000 committed to these projects. Community-based CCTV is currently governed by section 38(3)(c) of the Garda Síochána Act 2005 and the Garda Síochána (CCTV) Order 2006. This legal framework requires that any proposed community CCTV scheme must be approved by the local joint policing committee, have the prior support of the relevant local authority, which must also act as data controller, and have the authorisation of the Garda Commissioner. Communities, therefore, need to take a number of steps. This is the legal basis for all community CCTV schemes, regardless of how they are funded. These key legal requirements have not changed since 2006. My Justice Plan 2022, which I published this week, commits to the publication of a new Bill that relates to Garda powers to modernise digital technology, and this will include CCTV where there need to be updates.

Photo of Martin KennyMartin Kenny (Sligo-Leitrim, Sinn Fein)
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I thank the Minister. I acknowledge that some work on this has been done and progress has been made. However, we are all also aware of the difficult situations in some areas where CCTV cameras have been in place and people have been asked to take them down because they did not meet the standards required. They were installed with the very best of intentions. There have been also been difficulties around the country for years where local authorities have found it difficult to fit into a space whereby they become data controllers and have to monitor footage and all of that without any additional funding.

In vast areas of rural Ireland there could be a convergence of roads, crossroads or a bridge on a river where it would be very useful to have CCTV to monitor the movement of traffic. Communities in such areas will not be able to come up with the resources to meet 40% of the required cost of installing cameras. That needs to be recognised. The 60% grant aid is too low and needs to be reviewed. When the Minister is reviewing that, she needs to ensure that adequate funding is in place so that people can meet that criterion.

Photo of Helen McEnteeHelen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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To finish my last point and touch on the Deputy's next point, the legislation needs to be updated due to the fact that the Act dates from 2005 and we have since had European GDPR legislation that supersedes the previous Act. That is why I am working to try to make sure that the digital recording Bill is brought forward as quickly as possible. I hope to be able to bring it to colleagues in a matter of weeks, and we can then progress that as quickly as possible. Part of that is the ANPR legislation around number plate recognition, which would allow gardaí, in certain circumstances, to take that type of data and information, which is extremely helpful not just in terms of road traffic incidents but also in cases where people are fleeing the scene of a crime and would be helpful to be able to upload that information.

With regard to the link between local authorities and gardaí, we are trying to set out greater clarity around the role played by each in the legislation. That is something that has prevented some communities from putting forward requests for local CCTV. At the same time, I stress that we cannot just put up cameras anywhere. There always has to be collaboration with gardaí. We all have a right to privacy and to make sure that there is not a camera outside our front door. Cameras are in place for a specific and strategic reason. That corroboration and collaboration will be set out clearly in the legislation. It is to be hoped it will encourage more people to avail of these types of scheme.

7:10 pm

Photo of Martin KennyMartin Kenny (Sligo-Leitrim, Sinn Fein)
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I understand that. Nobody wants cameras everywhere or for the whole country to be covered in them but there is a recognition that they have a key role to play. An Garda Síochána recognises that and so does the public. The slow and difficult roll-out of these schemes across the country has dented public confidence in the commitment of the Government to ensuring this is done.

I welcome the legislation the Minister is proposing. When the cost of up to €40,000 in this regard is considered, 60% of that sum is to be provided but the communities will have to find the other 40%, amounting to €16,000, which will be quite a lot for small communities to fund. That needs to be reviewed. More funding needs to be put in place to ensure this can be done. If more CCTV is rolled out, there will be benefits in the context of economies of scale. It would not cost communities as much as it would otherwise. If the Government were to tender for this equipment, rather than each individual community doing so, that may also lead to cost savings.

Photo of Helen McEnteeHelen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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In many instances, local authorities work with communities to ensure funding is available. It is important to note that the Deputy's question relates specifically to community CCTV and there is a separate programme specifically for An Garda. In areas with high crime levels or a large number of incidents, the Garda can go through a process of setting up its own CCTV.

The Deputy referred to certain issues that have arisen recently in respect of the general data protection regulation, GDPR. There are steps communities have to undergo, working with local authorities and the Garda. Obviously, the Garda undertakes those steps as well. In general, community CCTV plays a role but it is about everything working together. It is about community text alert, communities engaging with local community gardaí and making sure there are enough gardaí on the ground. I am very pleased that more than 10,000 people have applied to the most recent recruitment campaign. It is to be hoped that they will start to go through Templemore soon. We have the new operational model that will ensure there are more focused specific teams and it is hoped they will be able to target this type of crime in rural areas and where people are concerned. There are many elements to making sure we keep people safe. Community CCTV is an important element of that and I hope that when the legislation is passed, there might be more clarity for people regarding being able to access further funding.